The Wiz of Odds

Reporters Notebooks

Bob Condotta, Seattle Times: A controversial plan to play the Washington-Washington State game at Qwest Field died as officials at both schools said plans on how to best allocate tickets proved to be a deal-breaker.

J.P. Giglio, Raleigh News & Observer: North Carolina quarterback T.J. Yates suffered an injury to the thumb of his right (throwing) hand while playing Ultimate Frisbee and will have to wear a splint during that time.

Ian R. Rapoport, Birmingham News: Alabama's Nick Saban is serving as the grand marshal of the Aaron's 499 at Talladega on Sunday.

Adam Rose, Fabulous Forum: USC's Pete Carroll remains frustrated by a two-year-old rule prohibiting head coaches from going on the road to recruit during the month of May.

Brett McMurphy and Josh Poltilove, Tampa Tribune: South Florida tight end Trent Pupello is facing charges of aggravated battery with a firearm and one count each of aggravated assault with a firearm and discharging a firearm in public after an incident earlier this month.

Reporters Notebooks

Maureen Fulton, Toledo Blade: Adam Cuomo, who was a senior backup running back in 2003, admitted to his participation in a point-shaving scheme involving Toledo football and basketball teams, according to documents unsealed in U.S. District Court in Detroit earlier this week.

Jeremy Fowler, Orlando Sentinel: Amid serious budget issues, the University of Florida is turning to its athletics department for help. The school's latest budget proposal for the 2009-10 season is asking the University Athletic Association, a self-sufficient marketing arm, for $6 million.

Joe Schad, ESPN.com: Former Duke point guard Greg Paulus is likely to resume his football career at Syracuse.

Dave Sittler, Tulsa World: Maybe it's time for the Big 12 to do away with divisions and simply have the two top teams play in the league title game.

Shannon J. Owens, Orlando Sentinel: Former Oregon State running back Jeremy Francis said he plans to join the Central Florida team this fall.

The Running Game

Bill Snyder and Gene Chizik have something in common. Neither wants to play UCLA in 2010.

Last week the Los Angeles Daily News and the Los Angeles Times reported that Auburn nixed a game against the Bruins to open the 2010 season. The game, which ESPN/ABC was attempting to broker, was to be played at the Georgia Dome.

Now the real reason UCLA is looking for a game. Kansas State, which plays at UCLA this fall, is trying to get out of the return game in Manhattan, scheduled for Sept. 4, 2010.

Snyder, of course, is the scheduling master, and his incredible feat of putting Kansas State on the map in the 1990s involved a lot of home games against inferior opponents. UCLA simply doesn't fit this Bill.

A Man and His Chair

What's a coach to do at halftime of a spring scrimmage? If you're Charlie Weis, you pull up the office chair on the sideline and jot down some notes.

Weis, who suffered major damage to both of his knees last season and was forced to coach from the press box, says he will be back on the Notre Dame sideline this fall.

Here's hoping Weis' knees will allow him to return to the sideline, but maybe he should rethink this and go back to the press box. From the looks of it, he already has a comfortable chair.

The coach was in Fort Wayne on Thursday for an alumni gathering and got a couple of surprise questions about President Barack Obama speaking at Notre Dame's commencement.

"I'm the head football coach at Notre Dame. That's what I am," Weis said. "I'm not a politician. I'm not here to make political statements. I'm the head football coach. I'm worried about the state of the union of Notre Dame football."

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